Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Chlamydia, and Trichomonas infections

Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Chlamydia, and Trichomonas infections in children aged one to thirteen years presenting to secondary care.

Lead investigator                     

Dr Richard Reading
Consultant paediatrician
Norfolkand Norwich University Hospital
Colney Lane
Norwich
NR4 7UY

Email: Dr Richard Reading

Overview

• Infections which are sexually transmitted in adults are rare in childhood and we do not know the implications of identification of one of these infections for child protection.
• There is very little reliable evidence available. We do not know how commonly these infections occur, how often they are thought to be associated with sexual transmission, whether there are characteristic symptoms or reasons for presentation, nor how frequently child protection investigations are initiated and their resulting outcome.
• This study of all cases of Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Chlamydia and Trichomonas (the most common bacterial and protozoal sexually transmitted infections in adults in the UK) among children under thirteen years in the UK and Ireland will gather epidemiological information to inform all these questions.
• Although we will not be able to determine the factors which would indicate sexual transmission with any certainty, the study will provide much needed epidemiological information on which to base recommendations about management and child protection implications.         

Duration: January 2010 to January 2012 

Funding: Wellchild                      

Ethical approval: Approved by the London Research Ethics Committee (ref 09/H0718/56) and has been granted Section 251 Support by the Ethics and Confidentiality Committee of the National Information Governance Board ref ECC/BPSU 1-03 (FT1)/2009.       

Further Information

• Study Protocol (PDF, 96KB, 2 pages)
• Questionnaire (PDF, 130KB, 10 pages)
• Public Information Leaflet (PDF, 42KB, 2 pages)

Support Group: Wellchild